A material handling system typically consists of an elongated I-beam or enclosed track along which a plurality of trolleys or the like are guided and supported. The trolleys include rollers which travel along the I-beam and further include a portion extending generally downward from the rollers on which the subject material is supported. Conveyor chains function to move the trolleys or the like along the track or rail or I-beam, and typically include multiple sections or links joined together by pins or bolts to define the joints of the chain. As the chain moves along the conveying path, the chain flexes at the chain joints as the chain negotiates curves in the conveying path or track, such as lateral curves and/or upward or downward curves along the path.
Known conveyor chains typically include a center link connected at each end to a respective pair of side links by a respective pin, such that the links move or pivot about the pins as the chain flexes as it travels along the conveying path. Such relative movement of the links and pins or bolts leads to wear on the component and may eventually lead to a failure of the links and/or the pins or bolts. The chain wear may increase if the friction between the pin and the links increases, such as due to rough surfaces (such as by machining grooves, scratches or the like) of one or more of the components and/or a lack of lubrication on the components.
In order to keep the trolleys and chain operating smoothly, some form of lubricating device is typically utilized to apply a lubricating fluid to the chain. An example of such a lubricating device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,078, entitled LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR CONVEYOR SYSTEMS and assigned to Frost Links, Inc. of Mich., which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. While a typical lubricating device may provide lubricant to the chain, the system may not adequately lubricate the joints of the chain such that the lubricant penetrates fully therein.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved lubrication system and/or chain component or components that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.